What were the ideals of womanhood in Victorian England? How clothing played a part in achieving these ideals?

(a) The ideals of womanhood in Victorian England were as given below:
(i) Women could bear pain and suffering
(ii) They should be docile, dutiful, submissive and obedient, delicate, frivolous and attractive.
(b) Norms of clothing of women played an important part in achieving these ideals as mentioned below:
(i) From childhood, girls were tightly laced up and dressed in stays. The effort was to restrict the growth of their bodies, contain them within small moulds.
(ii) When slightly older, girls had to wear tight fitting corsets.
(iii) Tightly laced small-waisted women were admired as attractive, elegant and graceful. Clothing, thus played a part in creating the image of frail, submissive Victorian woman.